engine id, and tach question

[Dr. Dennis M. Szal]

I am quite sure the engine in my 60 vette is not the original. The number on the block is either T1221GE or 11221GE. Can anyone tell me what kind of engine this is and the horsepower of it?

Also my tach has a yellow line at 50 and an orange line at 55. Does this indicate the size of the original engines horsepower?

[William C.]

Re: engine id, and tach question

The tach would indicate one of the Hydraulic-lifter engines. Teh T in the engine code indicated a Tonawanda built (non-Corvette) engone. Sorry, I don't have the GE engine code at my fingertips presently.

[Tom D.]

GE engine id, and tach question

The GE code was used for some 348s, but possibly re-used on other engines. Do the valve covers have a funny "W" shape?

Tom D.

[Joe L.]

Re: engine id, and tach question

Dennis-----

In addition to the 348 application that Tom mentioned, the "GE" suffix code was used for 1955 and 1956 265 cid applications. The 1955 application was rated at 180 hp and the 1956 was rated at 205 hp. Of course, there's no way to say if some internal engine work has been done to change the original hp rating. The block suffix code only says what application that the BLOCK originally served. Many things could have changed internally. It's VERY unlikely that the engine has been over-bored to a 283 configuration, though. Usually, a 265 block will not be capable of the 0.125" overbore required to achieve 283 bore size (265s and 283s share the same 3" stroke, though).

If the engine is a 1955 vintage unit, the block casting number (found on the bellhousing flange area) will be 3703524. If it's a 1956 block, then the number should be 3720991. If the heads are as originally installed on the engine and the engine is the 1955, then they should be casting #3703523. For the 1956 engine, the heads were #3725306. However, it's very possible that the heads have been replaced with later, perhaps, 1960 style heads.

Let us know what you find.